76ers retire Allen Iverson's No. 3

Allen Iverson joined the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving as the Philadelphia 76ers retired his number 3 in a ceremony Friday.

8th number retired in franchise history

The Associated Press · March 2, 2014

Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson is introduced to the crowd before the start of a 76ers game. The franchise will retire his number 3 at a ceremony during halftime on Saturday. (H. Rumph Jr/Associated Press)

"They all wanted me to talk about how much y'all loved me," Iverson said, "but trust me, the feeling was mutual."

Iverson officially retired in October after last playing in 2010. He won four scoring titles for the Sixers and was the 2001 MVP when he led them to the NBA Finals. He never won a championship, the lone omission in a career that is destined for the Hall of Fame.

The Sixers may as well have turned the arena into an AI museum. Four banners greeted fans at the main concourse entrance, and photos of him were plastered all around the arena. The merchandise stands sold Iverson jerseys for $130, and lower level tickets were going for as much for $1,280 on Stubhub about an hour before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

The fans loved him, and he blew them kisses after the No. 3 was raised to show how much he loved them back.

"I am Philly," Iverson said. "It's always going to be that way."

Iverson's return injected a rare dose of excitement into a franchise playing some of the worst basketball in the league. The Sixers, in full-blown rebuilding mode, had lost 12 straight entering Saturday's game.

The losing didn't matter much Saturday, just the memories.

The Sixers wore special "Iverson Forever" patches on their jerseys and Iverson's 3 on their pregame warmup shirts.

"It's a great example of how this city responds to somebody that they clearly think the world of and brought such exciting times to the city of Philadelphia," Sixers coach Brett Brown said.

The Sixers' retirement gift was a boat named in honour of his nickname, "The Answer."

"It feels good," Iverson said after the ceremony, "but some part of my heart hurts because I know it's over."

Iverson joined Cheeks, Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving among the eight retired numbers in franchise history. Erving attended the ceremony. Moses Malone, Dikembe Mutombo, Theo Ratliff, Gary Payton and former team president Pat Croce also were at the celebration.

Former coach Larry Brown, who both clashed with and loved Iverson over their tenure, sent a videotaped message.

"I just want to tell you, and I say this fondly: God put me there to coach you," Brown said.

One of the NBA's best

Iverson said Brown was the player who moulded him into one of the NBA's best.

Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft and spent his first 10 seasons in Philadelphia. He also played for Denver, Detroit, and Memphis before returning to Philadelphia for a 25-game stint in 2009-10.

Iverson, who mashed hip-hop culture and hoops like no player before him, was perhaps at his peak in his fifth NBA season. The 165-pound guard averaged 31.1 points, was the MVP of the All-Star game and propped an entire franchise on his 6-foot frame all the way to the finals.

Led by Brown, the Sixers needed Game 7 wins in consecutive series for the right to play the Lakers. Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers swept their way through the post-season before Game 1 in Los Angeles.

Iverson had 48 points in 52 minutes of an overtime victory. The Sixers didn't have enough to go the distance and the Lakers won the next four games.

He's 21st on the NBA's career scoring list with 24,368 points over 914 career games. Iverson, drafted out of Georgetown, scored 30-plus points 345 times and was an 11-time All-Star.

His No. 3 jersey was a bestseller around the globe, the headband wrapped snugly around his cornrows, and the tattoos were as much a part of his image as the way he ricochets around the court. Play every game like it was his last was more than a catchphrase, it was a lifestyle.

"Who could not be an Allen Iverson fan?" said Thaddeus Young, the lone current Sixers player who played with Iverson. "It got no bigger than him in Philadelphia."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was at the game for AI's night.

"Allen was a special player," Silver said before the game. "The great things he did for the league far outweigh the occasional headache. I always thought even at the time of Allen Iverson's prominence in the league, he was representative of his generation."

Related Stories

Popular Now

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.